Snapper walk behind makes noise in high gear like a train

15 years ago

Hi, I've got a new to me Snapper walk behind mower (2004 model) and when the drive speed is in the medium to high settings, a rumble starts that sounds like a train going down the tracks. The noise only happens when the drive is not engaged (sitting idle). Once you engage the drive and start moving, the noise stops. I've never had a Snapper before so I was wondering if this is normal or is a bearing on the drive mechanism going out? Thank you!

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Comments (14)

tomplum
15 years ago
You didn't mention a model #- that would help. 1 vote for it isn't normal.
poodlehead_tx
Original Author
15 years ago
I don't have the mower here and couldn't remember the model number last night. Now I found it on the PDF file I downloaded before. It is MRP216517B (21" mulcher with ninja blade, self propelled, with a 6.5 HP Briggs Quantum engine).

Another problem I've had is getting a decent cut. I've sharpened the blade, changed to a gator and even a regular mulch blade, but none of the blades help. I intend on trying a hi-vac deck next, but I'd like to get this noisy drive fixed first. Thanks!
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That is an older flathead Robin engine. The "85" is just part of the model #, not the year. That may be about right, though. You can look on the deck behind the engine and find a silver tag with the model and serial number of the Snapper deck (as opposed to just the engine) and then look that up the Snapper site to find exactly what you have. You will also find the owner and parts manuals there. Go to www.snapper.com and click "literature." If you have the bag on and the chute is not plugged, the mower should always bag the grass. Your chute just got plugged. This can happen, especially with wet grass. If bagging is your - ahem - bag, then you might want to see what kind of blade you have under there and get the one with the "winglets" that bolt on to provide extra lift. That seems to prevent a lot of clogs by increasing the force through the chute. As for the drive speed lever: no, it should stay in the speed you select. The little bumps on the lever's panel are there to hold in gear, but there should be a spring behing that panel to hold it - maybe that's missing? Or else the adjustment slider down near the driven pulley's bracket is loose, allowing the driven pully to wander on the drive wheel (turntable). The tubing protruding from the side - do you mean from the side of the engine? Maybe that's the oil dipstick tube. I hope you actually have a dipstick in it! Otherwise, I'm having trouble thinking of what it would be. These are good machines that are very serviceable and still are produced new today with few changes (the engines have changed, of course). Especially if you are bagging, there is no reason it won't be productive for you.
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tomplum
15 years ago
So is the disc trying to drive and chattering? There are 2 springs right at the drive bracket assy- be sure they are both there. Or simply the noise coming from the plate area? It seems too new to have a bearing going out of the plate assy- but you could check for it.
What kind of cut issues do you have? And this occurs when mulching only? Does the engine speed seem fast enough?
poodlehead_tx
Original Author
15 years ago
The drive works fine and it's just the noise. It sounds like it's due to the speed of one of the disks probably wobbling slightly on the shaft making the noise. In the 2 or 3 lower gears, there is no noise and it only happens once things start spinning faster. If the drive is engaged so the mower is moving, there is no noise. How would I isolate the bearings? I guess just feel each one for excess play? I'll check this weekend to see how many springs are on the bracket assy too.

I think I can only mulch unless you can tell me how to switch it. It does sort of seem like the cut is due to a dull blade (but it's sharp) or the engine speed is too slow, but I don't think so... It has a fixed throttle on it, but maybe I'll try to speed it up a little to see if that makes a difference. The cut kind of makes it look like one side of the deck is higher than the other where it kind of leaves strips of taller grass on one side than the other. Sort of like the grass was pushed down some before it was cut. Hope that description makes sense. That's why I was wondering if a hi-vac deck might take care of the problem... Thanks!
lawnmowerdan
15 years ago
hex shaft is worn-you have discovered that snappers give lousey cuts.
rdaystrom
15 years ago
lawnmowerdan, Excuse me? Snappers give lousy cuts? I don't think so. What planet do you mow on? I've had about 6 Snappers, 30 Lawn-Boys, 4 Toros, and several others and Snapper ranks among the top for quality of cut. Whatever dude....
lawnmowerdan
15 years ago
i cut grass for a living . i see the worst cut from a snapper by far. snapper only good for vacume-otherwise its a huge pos in every way
rdaystrom
15 years ago
Calling a Snapper Hi-Vac a huge pos. So much for your ability to evaluate a good machine. Lots of people here will disagree with that. Just because you mow yards for a living doesn't make you an expert in my opinion. A lot of guys that do mow for a living are great at abusing and tearing up good equipment...I'll grant you that.
lawnmowerdan
15 years ago
i have to take 3 with me every day to get tru the day as something will break one at least one of them. the newest ones have eliminated the main sourse of trouble -the lower belt tenison pully-so reliability should be improved. still there is way too many cheaply made moving parts to break.
rdaystrom
15 years ago
Whatever. I have repaired my Snapper about three times.....since 1990. You must wash your equipment to be experiencing that many failures.
cranheim
15 years ago
I just gave my old Snapper Hi-Vac walk behind to my daughter after about 15 years of good service. It is still running great. My only repair was to replace the rubber drive wheel for the speed control. Even the blade clutch is still working. I wanted one with the mulching capability, so I purchased another Snapper Hi-Vac (model P216019KWV) with a Kawasaki engine. It runs smooth and cuts great. It seems very well made. The only thing I miss is the blade clutch on the new machine. Charles Ranheim
rustyj14
15 years ago
I saw a guy putting his Snapper walk-behind mower out for the trash, so i asked him if i could have it. He told me to take it, so i did. There was nothing wrong with it, so a friend who mows grass for extra cash, bought it, and has been using it all summer! And he was glad to get it, as they are hard to find "used"!
titus
15 years ago
The `train noise` is most likely caused by the Ninja blade.
Remove the Ninja blade- duct tape a nickel-(5 cents) to the Ninja blade a toss the blade with the nickel in the TRASH CAN. Install a regular mulching blade and enjoy about 7 years of trouble free operation. Do not hose wash the mower- just brush it off and. At about the 7 year mark, replace the bearings on the drive mechanism for about 15.00 and enjoy another 7 years.
The nickel represents something to throw away.
lawnmowerdan
15 years ago
wrong-its a worn hex shaft. i know these like no one else

Snapper walk behind makes noise in high gear like a train

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Snapper walk behind makes noise in high gear like a train

Comments (14)

poodlehead_txOriginal Author

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